“So what do you three do?” I asked as I settled down on my haunches. We were settled in a tree house while I looked around at the posters.

“We work to get our cutie mark!” Sweetie Belle announced.

“Buck yeah!” Scootaloo shouted.

“Scootaloo! Language!” I admonished quickly. Her moms had asked me to make sure she didn’t swear.

“Sorry.”

“But yah. We work to get our cutie marks. One day!” Apple Bloom announced as she crossed off something on a board. “All these things on these posters are things we have tried.”

“We typically have Liza and Dinky with us but they are busy today preparing for the vote at school. We are headed there soon,” Sweetie Belle announced.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders!” A voice shouted as a little colt ran in. “I need your help!”

“What’s up Pipsqueak?” Sweetie Belle asked as the three faced him.

“I’m running for Student Pony President and I wanted you three to be my campaign managers,” Pipsqueak announced.

“Ooh campaign manager cutie marks! We’ve never tried that before!” Sweetie Belle grinned.

“How did we try Alligator Wrestlers before campaigning?” Scootaloo asked and I did a double take.

“I’m sorry what?” I asked in disbelief.

“Ah ain’t sure,” Apple Bloom ignored me as she stepped to Pipsqueak. “We will help yah!”

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle agreed as the three fillies gave each other a high hoof. I think that’s what it is called. Sweetie Belle levitated the colt so he could join in and I gave a faint smile. That was kinda cute not gonna lie.

“This way yall!” Apple Bloom galloped and jumped out of the tree house with ease. Lyra had been shocked to find out how far and high ponies could jump.

“This should be entertaining,” Bon Bon mused as I stood up to follow. Apparently the CMC needed us to watch them at all times or else the town would be gone according to Twilight.

“Yep,” Octavia agreed.

“Our playground equipment took quite the beating during Princess Twilight’s fight with Tirek. If you vote me for Student Pony President, I’ll go straight to the school board and right this wrong!” Pipsqueak announced as we watched from the sidelines.

“Well I think that’s a complete waste of the budget!” I glanced at a small filly with a tiara walking up with a silver filly with a spoon for a cutie mark.

“Oh boy. Here we go,” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.

“It’s just like when Twist wanted to fix the broken window that Discord broke. She just wanted to fix it like a normal school house window.” Bon Bon let out a soft growl and I looked over hesitantly.

“Even though that’s not my sister as I know her, it still makes me mad.” Lyra looked at her in shock.

“You didn’t tell me you had a sister!” Lyra exclaimed. Bon Bon sighed.

“Yeah dad has custody of her so she’s back in Trottingham. Maybe she will come visit.”

“But you all know voting for me was the best choice because I convinced the school board to give that window visual appeal!” The filly pointed a hoof at a window and we all stared at a stained glass window depicting her.

“That is probably the most egotistical thing I have ever seen,” I deadpanned.

“Think she’s related to Rainbow Dash?” Vinyl asked. Lyra snorted a laugh and covered her mouth with a hoof.

“Course, it doesn’t hurt her mom Spoiled Rich is president of the school board,” Apple Bloom whispered.

“Exactly! Which is why when Diamond Tiara is voted Student Pony President, the school will be putting a statue of her in our schoolyard!” The grey filly announced.

“And here’s more ego,” Vinyl muttered.

“Silverspoon! That was my secret to share when I won!” Diamond Tiara yanked on her friends hair and I winced.

“I was just trying to help,” Silverspoon muttered.

“I don’t need that kind of help.”

“Haven’t we all had enough of Diamond Tiara!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“Do we really need a big statue of her?” Scootaloo asked.

“Especially where our playground equipment goes?” Sweetie Belle added as Apple Bloom gave Diamond Tiara a smug smile.

“A vote for Pip is a vote for the playground!” Pipsqueak announced as I helped levitate him on top of the horseshoe in the playground.

“A vote for Diamond Tiara is a vote for more Diamond Tiara!”

“It’s time to make a change. This is our chance, don’t be afraid to do what’s right. He’s it, vote for Pip! We got an opportunity to have fun again. A vote for Pip, and you can join the fight. It’s time for a new leader. It’s time to make a change. We’re here to fight for what we believe. It’s finally time we beat her and play a better game. Cause when we vote together. There’s nothing that we can’t achieve.” We flinched a bit and Lyra stared at the three fillies.

“Does this happen often around here? Random musicals?” She asked me.

“Yep.”

“I don’t believe what I am hearing, I’m the only one you should be cheering. Pipsqueak? Try Pip’s weak! Don’t you think? But a diamond is perfection, it’s natural selection. So your vote better be for me, not the weakest link!” Diamond Tiara growled.

“We’ll let the votin decide!” Apple Bloom announced.

“Everypony has their little secrets,” Diamond looked at all the fillies as she walked up to me. “I know you do.” She gave me a wink as she traced a hoof along my foreleg. “A vote for me will help keep them safe. Like your creepy super strength! Or your mane extension. A little thing I won’t mention or those freakish large teeth in your face!”

“And now we resorted to blackmail,” Derpy sighed and shook her head.

“Come on ponies don’t listen to her!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“Is she like the leader or something?” Lyra mused.

“You could say they spread it equally,” a familiar voice chuckled and I spun around, finding myself face to face with the Equestrian version of my mom.

“Hello there me,” Equestrian Cheerilee smiled at Mom. “I heard from the Princess there was another me running around from another world and well looks like she told the truth.”

“That she did,” Mom smiled back.

“You’ve gotta vote for change. It’s time for a new leader. End all the tyranny. Vote now and we can beat her. It’s now another day. And we believe in what’s right. Our victory is in sight.”

“Stop! Everypony who hasn’t voted, listen up! Pip makes promises he can’t keep. But I can do more. You could really use a new bookbag,” Diamond Tiara smiled sweetly and I could easily see through the mask as she held out the bag to a yellow filly and yanked it away. “Cause I’ll make things happen that none of you here can afford to do, like, ever! Wouldn’t you like a little something sweet? Here’s a parasol to hide you from the heat. Who says that I can’t be nice? But first there’s one thing, an itsy-bitsy little string and voting for me is the price!”

“I’ve a tiny suggestion that you should be aware. You could probably win this election If you show them all you rea-” Silverspoon started to sing.

“Wow she has a really beautiful singing voice,” Octavia commented.

“I don’t recall asking you to speak!” Diamond snapped.

“If that’s how speak to your best friend, then I know who I’m voting for!” Sweetie Belle shouted after a few moments of stunned silence.

“We’ll let honor win out against the tyranny and make a change that will last!” The young unicorn joined her two friends in singing. “It’s finally time we beat her and play a better game cause when we vote together there’s nothing that we can’t achieve!” Equestrian Cheerilee trotted to the stairs of the school and watched the foals finishing their voting.

“School yard politics are crazy,” Mom chuckled. “I remember when I was a kid and watching wild stuff.”

“And the winner of the election is Pipsqueak!” Equestrian Cheerilee announced.

“I’d like to thank my campaign managers, the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Pip announced as he hugged the three fillies.

“Yes! Campaign cutie marks!” They shouted in unison and looked at their flanks.

“Guess didn’t you do as good as you three thought blank flanks!” Diamond grinned coolly.

“I demand you recount!” Diamond Tiara shouted.

“Believe me Diamond Tiara Pip won,” Equestrian Cheerilee said with a smug smile. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her expression.

“I’ll be the judge of that Miss Cheerilee!” Diamond Tiara grumbled as she trotted up the stairs.

“Does she seriously think she changed the votes?” Bon Bon asked in disbelief.

“What!” Diamond screamed as she shot out of the school. “One vote! Silverspoon! You didn’t vote for me?”

“No I didn’t.”

“Ooh betrayal,” Vinyl muttered.

“But why? You’re my best friend!”

“Am I? Because I tried to help you win this thing and suddenly I couldn’t even speak. You could have had a chance at winning this Diamond. Wanna know how? Sorry I’m not allowed to speak!” Silverspoon closed Diamonds open mouth with a hoof. The filly screamed and ran away.

“Wow,” Lyra muttered. Silverspoon glanced over at us.

“What? I don’t have to follow her drama anymore,” Silverspoon announced as she trotted away.

“Good for her,” Bon Bon smiled as the Crusaders trotted up to us.

“Hey Sunset?” Scootaloo said.

“Yeah kid?” I glanced at her.

“We were talking about going and checking on Diamond. Just because she’s never cared about anypony else’s feelings doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care about hers. Can you guys come with us?” I smiled at the fillies as my friends nodded encouragingly.

“Yeah let’s go follow her.”

Author's Note

I know the CMC got their marks before Starlight redeemed herself but I wanted the humans from the the portal to see what getting a cutie mark looked like.